Transport of an object across a surface

ABSTRACT

A basic idea of the present application is that in case of determining a position of the object on the surface, it is possible to also use transport mechanisms for the transport of the object on the surface which leads to less reproducible transport movements as the regulation may be executed directly on the basis of the observed movement as compared to the desired movement. Embodiments using compressed air, magnetism and/or bending waves are described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of copending InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP2009/007797, filed Oct. 30, 2009, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and additionallyclaims priority from German Application No. DE 102008057389.2-15, filedNovember 14, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the transport of an object across asurface, like e.g. of a game piece across a game board.

The “classical” board game consists of a physical game plan (game board)and game pieces. The game pieces are put on the board and moved by the(human) players according to the game rules. A conventional computer hasno access to such a classical game. It knows neither the position of thegame pieces on the on the plan nor can it move the pieces.

In the adaption of a classical board game which is common today on acomputer, game board and game pieces are set up “virtually” in thecomputer and displayed on the display of the computer. The computerknows the positions of all pieces on the virtual game plan. Movements ofthe game pieces only take place on this virtual game plan or program.The figures may only be moved in the narrow sense by “the computer”. Ofcourse, the computer may perform the move based on an input by a person.By this it becomes possible for a computer and person to play “together”on the virtual game plan or program. This mechanism may also be used inconnection with a network to let different people take part in the samegame when they are located in different spatially separated locations.

As humans like to take “real” game pieces into their hands and move thesame and often think the representation on a physical game boardadvantageous, it is, for example, also common with chess game computersthat in the computer the game plan and pieces are set up and movedvirtually, but that the person imitates the moves outside the computeron a real game board. Via a suitable interface man and computer heretell each other the moves which were taken, the person updates theposition of the game pieces on the physical game board.

In particular with chess game computers it is also common to makeposition changes of the game pieces directly detectable for the computervia mechanical or magnetic switches. Here, a switch is positioned belowa firmly given game field. If a game piece is moved on the field, theswitching mechanism in the start field of the move and in thedestination of the move is operated. From this information, the chessgame computer may electronically detect and store the move. Theinformation which game piece is concerned in this move, is not detectedin today's systems. This information is generated by the computer itselfby updating all game moves based on a defined position of origin. Gamemoves of the computer displayed by the computer generally have to betaken by a human on the physical board.

There are also solutions in which the computer directly moves the gamepiece via a robot grip arm, but this is a very cost and time consumingmethod and is thus hardly used. Apart from this, these solutions aretypically specialized to a certain game, for example, chess. Further,these solutions suffer from restrictions. Thus, for example, severalgame pieces may not be moved simultaneously.

In DE102006009451.4 it was proposed for the localization of game pieceson the game board to use an RFID technology, wherein in this respectbelow the fields of the game board an RFID reader or a reader antenna isattached and the game piece is provided with an RFID transponder. If thegame piece is put onto a field, the transponder is read out andidentified by the reader below the game field. The game piece is thenassociated to the position of the reader or the reader coil.

According to the still unpublished DE 102008006043.7

-   -   the game plan is replaced by a lying computer display, e.g. in        the form of an LCD, which may thus display any game plans.    -   each game piece is provided with an optical sensor on the bottom        side, has an ID and is connected via a radio connection to the        game computer.

In the latter method, the game computer may automatically determine typeand position of the game pieces located on the game board by a suitablecombination of the information displayed on the game plan and remotereadout of the sensor in the game piece. As this may be executed veryaccurately and fast, the game computer may track the position of thegame pieces on the game board virtually continuously.

According to the above solution it is possible to build a universalcomputer adaption of a board game in which the computer represents avariable game plan on a screen acting as a game board and detects aposition of a plurality of physical passive game pieces automatically.An automatic and efficient movement of these physical figures by thecomputer is not possible with little technical effort according toconventional technology. Only technically extensive special solutionswith a computer grip arm or active self-moving game pieces are possible,which have many disadvantages, however.

It would be desirable, however, to make passive game pieces randomlydistributed on a game board efficiently and automatically movable by acomputer without having to use a robot grip arm or without requiring anactive drive in the game pieces.

Problems of the above-described type of course also occur elsewhere andare not limited to game scenes. Apart from that, problems regarding themovement of the game pieces vary depending on the game. For example, agame with only one game piece presents less requirements regardingmotion generation than a game with several game pieces, where one or aproper subset of the game pieces have to be moved relative to the othergame pieces across the surface or the game board. Further, some gamepieces are set up rotationally symmetrically, so that their rotationalorientation relative to the surface normally is irrelevant, wherein thismay be different with other game pieces and in some games theorientation of the game piece or its direction of view is important.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, an object for a controllable transport on anair cushion may have a level bottom; and a plurality of recesses in thelevel bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one of the recesses isadjacent to a side wall of the object and in the side wall an opening isformed through which air of the air cushion may escape laterally fromthe at least one predetermined recess.

According to another embodiment, a system for transporting an object onan air cushion may have a plurality of nozzles in a level surface whichare controllable separately from each other in order to let compressedair stream out which forms an air cushion between the object and thelevel surface; a determiner for determining a position of the object onthe level surface; and a controller for controlling the nozzlesdepending on the determined position.

According to another embodiment, a system may have a plurality ofnozzles in a level surface through which compressed air may be guided;an object for a controllable transport on an air cushion generated bythe compressed air, which may have a level bottom; a plurality ofrecesses in the level bottom, wherein at least one predetermined one ofthe recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and in the sidewall an opening is formed through which air of the air cushion mayescape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess; and acontrollable unit for selectively closing and opening the opening; and adeterminer for determining a position of the object on the levelsurface; and a controller for controlling the controllable unit forselectively closing and opening the opening in order to approximate theobject to a desired position on the level surface.

According to another embodiment, a system for moving an object which maybe magnetically attracted or repelled across a surface may have aplurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface controllableseparately from each other in order to generate magnetic dipoles with analignment perpendicular to the surface; a determiner for determining aposition of the object on the surface; a controller for controlling theplurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface in order toapproximate the object to a desired position on the surface.

According to another embodiment, a device for moving an object across asurface may have a bending wave generator for generating bending wavesin the surface; a determiner for determining a position of the object onthe surface; and a controller for controlling the bending wavegenerator, so that the object approaches its desired position on thesurface based on the bending waves.

According to another embodiment, a method for transporting an object onan air cushion by means of a plurality of nozzles in a level surfacewhich may be controlled separately from each other in order to letcompressed air stream out forming an air cushion between the object andthe level surface may have the steps of determining a position of theobject on the level surface; and controlling the nozzles depending onthe determined position.

According to another embodiment, a method for transporting an object bymeans of an air cushion generated by the compressed air and a pluralityof nozzles in a level surface through which compressed air may beguided, wherein the object has a level bottom and a plurality ofrecesses in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one ofthe recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and an opening isformed in the side wall through which the air of the air cushion mayescape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess may have thesteps of determining a position of the object on the level surface; andselectively closing and opening the opening depending on the determinedposition in order to approximate the object to a desired position on thelevel surface.

According to another embodiment, a method for moving an object which maybe magnetically attracted or repelled across a surface by means of aplurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface which may becontrolled separately from each other in order to generate magneticdipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface may have thesteps of determining a position of the object on the surface; andcontrolling the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along thesurface in order to approximate the object to a desired position on thesurface.

According to another embodiment, a method for moving an object across asurface by means of bending waves may have the steps of determining aposition of the object on the surface; and generating bending waves inthe surface so that the object approximates its desired position on thesurface based on the bending waves.

According to another embodiment, a computer program may have a programcode for executing one of the above-mentioned methods when the computerprogram is executed on a computer.

A basic idea on which the present invention is based is that in case ofthe determination of a position of the object on the surface it ispossible to also use transport mechanisms for the transport of theobject on the surface which leads to less reproducible transportmovements, as the control may be executed directly on the basis of theobserved movement as compared to the desired movement.

According to a first object of the present invention, now this idea isused by causing transport by an air cushion between object and surface.“Carried” in such a way, the object may be moved laterally on the basisof very different means operating in a contact-less way, like e.g. bymeans of magnetic fields, electrostatically or the like. According toone embodiment, the generation of the air cushion is executed below theobject laterally selectively at the location of the object as it wasobtained by the location determination means. This way it is possible toreduce the transport friction of one or several selected objects among aplurality of objects specifically with respect to the other ones so thatthe means exerting the lateral force does not have to generate the forcespecifically only for the one or the several determined objects but alsothe generation of one field is possible which acts onto all objects, butonly leads to an actual movement for the objects with the reducedtransport friction. Additionally, the compressed air used for generatingthe air cushion which is blown through the surface across which theobject is to be transported may not only be used for reducing thetransport friction across the surface, but may also be used forgenerating the lateral movement or the generation of the lateral forcesfor moving the objects laterally across the surface. According to oneembodiment, this is executed in combination with a specialimplementation of the bottom of the object in which several air chambersare formed, which are separated from each other and one or several ofwhich comprise an opening in the side wall through which the air of theair cushion may escape laterally, whereby the object is subjected to alateral force due to the resulting recoil. In combination with asuitable location determination means which determines the location ofthe object on the surface and in combination with a dense distributionof individually controllable air nozzles for generating the air cushion,in this way air may specifically be blown into a desired subset of theair chambers of the object, so that the object is moved into the desiredposition. Alternatively, of course also the provision of closing andopening mechanisms for closing and opening the lateral openings of theair chambers of the object is possible, wherein the need would beeliminated to individually control the air nozzles.

According to a further aspect, the transport movement generation takesplace magnetically across the surface. Distributed along the surface,individually controllable magnetic coils are arranged, which may becontrolled separately from each other to generate magnetic dipoles withan orientation perpendicular to the surface. When providing the objectwith an element which may be magnetically attracted or repelled, or aplurality of such elements, it is possible to shift the object acrossthe surface, i.e. on the basis of magnetic repulsion, or to draw thesame along, i.e. on the basis of magnetic attraction.

According to a further aspect, the transport movement is caused bybending waves in the surface. According to one embodiment, in thisrespect surface waves propagating in the surface are calculatedaccording to a wave field synthesis such that the resulting movementcomponent, which is tangential to the surface, of surface points of thesurface at the surface wave peaks on which the object is mainlysupported leads to a movement of the object in the direction of thedesired position.

All aspects have in common that no grip arms or other superstructuresare needed above the surface which might otherwise interfere withaesthetics of the apparatus or the game or with the application.

It is rather possible to hide the components needed for movementgeneration according to the above aspects below the transport surface.Here, these aspects also enable the position determination to beexecuted optically by the transport surface. According to embodiments ofthe present invention this is used by combining the individual transportmechanisms with a location determination means which uses a screendisplay in combination with an optical sensor in the object as it isdescribed in more detail in the following. By this it is possible tointegrate the transport surface together with most components needed forposition determination and transport movement generation in a memberwhich is further able to display any pattern on the transport surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequentlyreferring to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematical block diagram of a system for transport ormovement of an object across a surface;

FIG. 2 shows a partial spatial view of a nozzle plate;

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view onto a bottom of an object according to anembodiment;

FIG. 4 a,b show schematical top views onto a nozzle plate havingindividually controllable air nozzles and with an object located on thesurface with a bottom according to FIG. 3, wherein FIGS. 4 a and 4 bcause different position changes by activating different air nozzles;

FIG. 5 a,b show top views onto an air nozzle according to an embodimentin a closed or open state;

FIG. 6 a,b show top views as in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b for air nozzles of thetype according to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b;

FIG. 7 shows a schematical view of a part of the system of FIG. 1 forillustrating a possible means for moving the object across the surfaceaccording to one embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the bottom of an object according to afurther embodiment;

FIG. 9 a shows a partial spatial view of a magnetic coil array accordingto one embodiment;

FIG. 9 b shows a schematical top view onto the array of FIG. 9 a;

FIG. 10 a-c show schematical side views of an object located on thetransport surface with different magnetical modes of action between themagnetic array and the object according to different embodiments;

FIG. 11 a,b show schematical plan views of an object having differentelements which may be magnetically attracted or magnetically repelled;

FIG. 12 a,b show schematical top views onto a magnetic coil array and anobject located on the same with an illustration of examples of differentactivation patterns of magnetic coils in the magnetic array forgenerating different position changes of the object on the surface;

FIG. 13 a,b show schematical top views as in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b, butusing a magnetically repulsive mode of action;

FIG. 14 shows a schematical illustration for illustrating the movementgeneration by means of surface waves;

FIG. 15 a,b show a sectional view and a top view of a bending wavegeneration means passing along a peripheral edge of a plate forming thetransport surface according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 shows a schematical sectional side view of a means fordetermining a position of an object on a display;

FIG. 17 shows a schematical illustration of a game device having a gamepiece position determining functionality according to an embodiment;

FIG. 18 shows a schematical illustration of a setup of a transmissionmeans from FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 shows a flowchart for illustrating the functioning of the gamedevice of FIG. 17 according to one embodiment;

FIG. 20 shows a schematical illustration of possible patterns fordetecting the position and the orientation of the game pieces in FIGS.17 and 18 on a display;

FIG. 21 shows a flowchart for illustrating the functioning of the gamedevice of FIG. 17 according to a further embodiment;

FIG. 22 shows a schematical illustration of a sequence of screendisplays used step-by-step in the binary search within the methodaccording to FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 shows a sectional view of a bottom part of a game piece arrangedon a display according to an embodiment;

FIG. 24 shows a schematical sectional view of a base with a transmissionmeans for mounting to a bottom side of a game piece according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 25 shows a schematical illustration of a photo cell covered by amask according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 26 a shows sectional views through a setup of an element formingthe transport surface and including parts of the movement generationmeans and the position determination means so that outside the same onlycontrolling and evaluating units are needed, like for example acomputer;

FIG. 26 b shows a sectional side view of a game piece which may be usedtogether with the component of FIG. 26 a; and

FIG. 26 c shows a sectional view though a setup of a component formingthe transport surface and including parts of the movement generationmeans and the location determination means according to a furtherembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following, different embodiments of the present invention areexplained in more detail. Here, elements occurring repeatedly indifferent figures are provided with same or similar reference numeralsand a repeated description of the same or their functioning is avoided.

In particular, different embodiments for the different aspects mentionedabove are described which may, however, also partially be combined witheach other which is noted in the following in different places.

Although the description frequently refers in particular to gameapplications, the present invention may of course also be applied toother fields of application in which objects are to be movedautomatically across a surface, like e.g. in logistics applications orthe like.

FIG. 1 generally shows a system for moving an object 10 across a surface12. It includes a position determination means 14 which is able todetermine the position of the object 10 on the surface 12, like e.g. thelateral position, e.g. of the center of gravity and/or the lateraldirection of view or the twisting of the object around a surface normalof the surface 12 with respect to a reference direction. For theposition determination means 14 in the following with reference to FIGS.16-25 embodiments are described, according to which the positiondetermination means 14 comprises an optical sensor in the object 10 anda display displaying its screen display from the back side of thesurface 12 through the surface 12 into the direction of the front sideon which the object 12 is positioned. Other position determination means14 are also possible, however, and for example include a camera (notshown) recording the transport surface 12 from the front side, i.e. withrespect to FIG. 1 from the top, or other distance sensors for exampleoperating contactlessly, like e.g. two or more distance sensors whichare arranged along an edge of the transport surface 12.

The system of FIG. 1 further includes a means for moving the objectacross the surface, i.e. the means 16. The means 16 thus executes theactual movement without user interaction. For the moving means 16 in thefollowing in particular with reference to FIGS. 2-16 differentembodiments are described. According to these embodiments, the movingmeans 16 is implemented such that the forces to change the position 10of the object on the surface 12 are exerted to the object 10contactlessly, like e.g. by means of compressed air, magnetically or bymeans of bending waves. Other mechanisms or combinations of the same arealso possible, however, which is referred to in the following.

The position determination means 14 and the moving means 16 are coupledto each other. In particular, the position determination means 14 andthe moving means 16 may, for example, be coupled to each other via acontrol means 18. The control means 18 for example includes a processorexecuting a suitable program. In particular, the control means 18 isimplemented to control the moving means 16 on the basis of the positionof the object 10 on the surface 12 determined by the positiondetermination means and a predetermined reference position or desiredposition of the object 10 such that the object 10 approaches the desiredposition whereby a control loop results which causes the object 10 toreach its desired position. From where the desired position is providedmay be different depending on the application. The desired position maybe provided externally to the control means 18. The control means 18may, however, apart from its function as a control for the moving means16 also execute further functions influencing the desired position ofthe object 10. For example, the control means 18 also functions as agame computer which is either able to receive desired position changesof the object 10 manually from a player via a certain input deviceand/or to calculate desired position changes of the object 10independently. Suitable input means for example provide a keyboard, amouse, a speech input, a touch screen capability of the surface 12 orthe like. As already mentioned, also other applications are possible inwhich the system according to FIG. 1 may be used, like e.g. logisticalapplications, wherein in this case the control means 18, for example,simultaneously takes over logistical tasks to calculate, among others,also the desired position of the object 10.

Although it will be addressed several times in the following, it isnoted that it is possible that the position determination means 14 andthe moving means 16 are implemented so that they are able to handleseveral objects 10 and 10′ on the surface 12 individually, i.e.determine their respective position or move the same individuallyrelative to the other object. Accordingly, the control means 18 may beimplemented such that it manages the desired positions of the severalobjects 10 and 10′ or at least executes the regulation or control oftheir desired positions.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 8 in the following embodiments aredescribed according to which the means 60 for moving the object acrossthe surface generates an air cushion between an object and a transportsurface, so that the conventionally occurring static friction anddynamic friction of the object between the bottom of the object and thetransport surface are overcome in favor of a substantially lowerfriction due to the air cushion.

FIG. 2 exemplarily shows the surface 12, i.e. the transport surface,with an array or with a lateral distribution of air nozzles 20. In FIG.2 the lateral distribution is illustrated as a regular lateraldistribution in lines and columns. Other regular arrangements andirregular lateral distributions of the air nozzles 20 are also possible,however. Additionally, the air nozzles 20 are illustrated exemplarily inFIG. 2 as being individually controllable or individuallyclosable/openable, except for one opening 28 all openings beingillustrated in a closed state. As it is described later with referenceto FIG. 7, it is also possible, however, that the moving means 16 usesconstantly open air nozzles 20 or such which may only be controlledtogether. Apart from this, the air nozzles are illustrated as thoughthey were closable and openable at the air outlet, i.e. as air valves.However, it is also possible to make air nozzles individuallycontrollable by valves located in the air channels associated with theair valve, the channels connecting air nozzles to a pressure source.

In FIG. 2, the transport surface 12 was exemplarily illustrated as amain side of a parallelepiped-shaped body, like e.g. a nozzle plate 22,whose front side forms the transport surface 12 and comprises the airnozzles 20. Other forms are also possible, however.

Although it is not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 2, the air nozzles 20are of course fluidically connected to a pressure source, so that in theopened states of the air nozzles, as illustrated in 20 a, pressurizedair escapes from the nozzle. The pressurized air leaves the nozzle 20for example along a surface normal of the transport surface 12. Thenozzles may, however, also be implemented so that the air escapes thenozzle 20 in a direction which is inclined with respect to the surfacenormal. The lateral direction of tilt, i.e. tangential to the surface12, may here for example be different for the different air nozzles 20,which is referred to again in the following.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 b now an embodiment is described in whichan array of individually controllable air nozzles is used in combinationwith an object whose bottom is implemented accordingly in order togenerate the lateral movement of the object on the surface. FIG. 3exemplarily shows a possibility for implementing the bottom of theobject 10. In the upper part of FIG. 3, the associated side view of theobject 10 is represented for a better understanding.

As it is illustrated in FIG. 3, in the bottom 30 of the object 10several recesses 32 ₁-32 ₉ are formed. Otherwise, the bottom or floor320 is level, i.e. it comprises a level supporting surface 34. As it isexemplarily illustrated in FIG. 3, the depressions or recesses 32 ₁-32 ₉may comprise a common depth t up to which they extend from thesupporting surface 34 into the interior of the object 10. As it isillustrated in FIG. 3, the recesses 32 ₁-32 ₉ are separated by interiorwalls 36 passing perpendicular to the supporting surface 34. Further,among the recesses there are ones, i.e. recesses 32 ₂-32 ₉, which areadjacent to an exterior side wall 38 of the object 10. In the exemplarycase of FIG. 3, in the side wall 38 for each of the recesses 32 ₂-32 ₈an opening 40 ₂-40 ₉ is provided which enables air forming the aircushion below the object 10 to laterally escape the corresponding recess32 ₂-32 ₉. In a 90° angle to each other for example openings 40 ₂, 40 ₄,40 ₆ and 40 ₈ are provided which are provided to let air stream outradially from the object 10 exemplarily formed in FIG. 3, rotationallysymmetrical around a rotation axis 42. Offset by 45° hereto fouropenings 40 ₃, 40 ₅, 40 ₇ and 40 ₉ are provided in a 90° angle to eachother to let air stream out of the corresponding recesses or chambers 32₃, 32 ₅, 32 ₇ and 32 ₉ in directions comprising a tangential component.In particular, these openings are implemented in pairs so that anopposing pair of openings 40 ₃ and 40 ₇ or 40 ₅ and 40 ₉ lets air streamout in the same direction of rotation, i.e. counter-clockwise regardedfrom above or in a clockwise direction regarded from above.

As it will be illustrated exemplarily with reference to FIGS. 4 a and 4b, it is possible due to the implementation of the recesses and thechambers formed by the same by a suitable selection of a subset of thosechambers which are to receive compressed air from the air nozzles, torotate the object 10 on the surface and/or move the same in a desireddirection, i.e. cause any mix of a translational movement and rotationaround the axis 42. Thus, the compressed air in the chamber 32 ₂ causesby the air laterally streaming out through the opening 40 ₂, that theobject 42 moves in the direction opposite to the laterally outstreamingair. This applies to the openings 40 ₄, 40 ₆ and 40 ₈ accordingly. Ifcompressed air simultaneously streams into chambers 40 ₃ and 40 ₇, thedischarged air in the corresponding openings causes a rotation of theobject in a clockwise direction (considering FIG. 3). A correspondinglyopposed rotation is achieved by guiding compressed air into the chambers32 ₉ and 32 ₅. The chamber 32 ₁ enclosed at all sides by walls—in FIG. 3interior walls 36—when filled with compressed air causes no lateralforces onto the object 10 and may thus be filled with compressed air tocarry the object 10 by means of the corresponding air cushion betweenthe object 10 and the surface.

The interaction between the control means 18, the individuallycontrollable air nozzles 20 and the special implementation of the bottom30 of the object 10 is to be illustrated in the following again withreference to FIGS. 4 a and 4 b. FIG. 4 shows a section of the transportsurface 12 and the individually controllable air valves 20. The positionof the object 10 on the surface 12 indicated in FIG. 4 a is known to thecontrol means 18 via the position determination means 14. In FIG. 4 a itis assumed that the desired position plans the object 10 to be shiftedin the southward direction (bottom in FIG. 4 a). Accordingly, thecontrol means 18 next to the air valves 20 located below or laterallyaligned with the central air chamber 32 ₁ activates or opens those airopenings 20 which are aligned with the air chamber 32 ₂ located in thenorth, so that the air streaming out laterally through the correspondingopening of this chamber 32 ₂ shifts the object 10 carried by the aircushion generated by the opened air nozzles 20 in the desired direction,as it is indicated by an arrow 50. In FIG. 4 a the opened air valves areindicated by an oval and the closed air valves by a line.

FIG. 4 b shows the same starting position as FIG. 4 a. In this case, itis assumed, however, that the control means 18 has to rotate the object10 for approximating the object 10 to the desired position, that is in aclockwise direction. Accordingly, apart from the air valves 20 blowingtheir air into the central chamber 32 ₁ it opens those air valves 20opposite to the opposing air chambers 32 ₂ and 32 ₇. The air streamingout laterally from the chamber 32 ₃ generates a thrust 52 in thetangential direction which is opposite to the direction of the thrust 54resulting from the air streaming out laterally from the opposite airchamber 32 ₇, whereby the desired rotational movement of the object 10in clockwise direction is achieved.

It is to be noted that the special implementation of the bottomaccording to FIG. 3 is only an example. Many modifications are possible.If, for example, rotational movements of the object 10 are not ofimportance, the object 10 only comprises three openings which let theair stream out radially and are, for example, arranged in 120° angles toeach other. If the trajectory of the object 10 is, for example,otherwise determined on the surface 12, like e.g. by correspondingboards, then possibly only providing a lateral recess with acorresponding opening in the side wall 38 next to a further recess orchamber is sufficient, which comprises no lateral opening in the sidewall like the chamber 32 ₁.

In the above description of FIGS. 2-4 b, the air nozzles 20 sometimeswere also called air valves. The reason for this is that the individualcontrol of the air nozzles may either take place directly at the airnozzle, wherein in this case the same acts as an air valve, or to eachair nozzle which is constantly open a valve may be associated via whichthe respective air nozzle may be controlled individually. To each pairof such an air nozzle and an associated valve, a corresponding airchannel would be specifically allocated, which needs a lot of space.

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show an example of a closed and open state of the airvalve 20. According to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b the air valves are formed ofsilicon 60. For example, the whole body 22 (FIG. 2) consists of siliconor a main carrier like e.g. a glass plate has a matrix of holes whichwere, for example, drilled into the glass plate and into these holes theindividual silicon valves according to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b are fitted. Forexample, the material 60 of the valve, like for example silicon, has arefractive index which is equal to the refractive index of the materialof the carrier plate, i.e., for example, glass, wherein in this case,for example, a completely transparent appearance results through thesurface 12. The refractive index may, for example, be 1.43. In theadvantageously elastic valve material 60, for example a slot 62 isprovided which passes from the surface 12 through to the opposing side64 where, for example, compressed air may be applied. The slot was forexample cut into the elastic material 60.

Laterally along the slot electrodes 60 and 68 are provided to which adifferent potential may be applied. An interior coating 70 in the slot62 guarantees that in the closed state illustrated in FIG. 5 a theelectrodes 66 and 68 do not touch. Of course, such an interior coating70 may also be missing when the electrodes 66 and 68 are spaced apartfrom the slot 62 so that the same do not contact each other even in theclosed state.

In the case of FIG. 5 a, now the control means 18 causes the air valveof FIG. 5 a to be closed. In this respect, a different electricpotential is applied to the electrodes 66 and 68. In FIG. 5 b the caseis illustrated that the electrodes 66 and 68 are charged with chargecarriers of the same polarity. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 aand 5 b, thus the electrodes 66 and 68 of an air valve may be coupled totwo different voltage sources wherein the electrodes 66 and 68 are eachconnected to the same pole. In FIG. 5 b this is, for example, thenegative pole. The thus resulting electrostatic repelling force betweenthe electrodes 66 and 68 causes the slot 62 to open into an oval, asillustrated in FIG. 5 b.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b is of course only anexample and other implementations are also possible. Additionally, FIGS.5 a and 5 b were illustrated in a simplified way insofar as the feedlines to the electrodes 66 and 68 are not illustrated. For an individualcontrol of the air valves, the same, however, have to be connectable ordetachable to/from the above-mentioned voltage sources via respectiveindividual lines. Further, it is also noted that in FIGS. 5 a and 5 bthe line 72 is to exemplarily illustrate the possible interface betweenthe valve material 60 and the above-mentioned carrier plate, like e.g.the glass plate.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b show, applied to the embodiment of the air valveaccording to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, the control of a matrix of correspondingair valves for generating movements as they are illustrated in FIGS. 4 aand 4 b. Briefly, FIGS. 6 a and 6 b show a section of the transportsurface 12 exemplarily provided with an array of valves 20 according toFIGS. 5 a and 5 b, wherein an object 10 is located on the surface 12,comprising a floor design according to FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 6a, the air valve 20 arranged below the chamber 32 ₁ and 32 ₂ are locatedin the open state according to FIG. 5 b in order to achieve the movementinto the southward direction as it was the case in FIG. 4 a, and in FIG.6 b only those air valves are in the state according to FIG. 5 b whichare arranged below the chambers 32 ₁,32 ₃ and 32 ₇, while the respectiveother air valves are in the closed state according to FIG. 5 a.

As it will be described later with reference to FIGS. 26 a and 26 b, theimplementation of the air valves carried by a glass plate having thesame refractive index as it was described with reference to FIGS. 5 a-6b has the advantage that with closed air valves the appearance of theglass plate is not interfered with by the air valves. In other words,with closed air valves no “points of discontinuity” result, which affectthe transparency of the plate, which is in particular advantageousaccording to the embodiments of FIGS. 16-25, according to which theposition determination means 14 uses a display located below thetransport surface to execute position determination.

An average smallest distance between the air nozzles 20 is for examplesmaller than a lateral extension of the recesses 32 ₂₋₉. Advantageously,an average smallest distance between the air nozzles 20 is smaller thanor equal to a smallest lateral dimension of the recesses 32 ₂₋₉.Depending on the movement which the object is to execute due to itsoffset from the desired position, the control means 18 then selectsthose nozzles for blowing which lie below the suitable recesses 32 ₂₋₉.

In FIGS. 2-6 b the lateral forces for changing the position of theobject carried by the air cushion were generated by the compressed airfor generating the air cushion itself by ventilating corresponding airchambers or blowing air into corresponding air chambers.

FIG. 7 shows a possibility for implementing the means 16 for moving theobject across the surface, according to which the same comprises anarray of individually controllable air nozzles in the surface 12 forgenerating an air cushion 80 between the object 10 and the surface 12,i.e. specifically at the location of the object 10, and a further means82 for a contactless lateral shifting and/or rotating of the object 10on the air cushion 80. The means for a contactless lateral shifting 82may, for example, use electrostatic forces, magnetic forces or a tiltingof the surface 12 relative to the gravitation field in order to causethe desired change of position of the object 10 on the surface 12.

In case that only one object 10 among several objects on the surface 12specifically was changed regarding its position, the means 82 is notrestricted to such implementations which are able to specificallyinfluence the desired object 10. Rather, the specific generation of theair cushion 80 below the desired object 10 enables that only for thisobject 10 the static and dynamic friction otherwise acting between thesurface 12 and the object 10 is removed so that the lateral forces bymeans 82 lead to a lateral movement only for the desired object 10.

One possibility for implementing the means 82 here for example providesthat the object 10 is not moved by generating corresponding fields butthat the lateral openings in the floor chambers are selectively openedand closed in case of FIG. 3. In addition to the implementation of FIG.3, in case of FIG. 8, means 84 ₂₋₉ are provided for a selective openingand closing of the openings 40 ₂-40 ₉, which may, for example, becontrolled via a wireless interface by the control means 18. Accordingto the above description, the control means 18 controls the means 84 sothat air may only escape laterally through the desired openings 40 ₂-40₉, wherein the air otherwise forms the air cushion 80.

In the alternative according to FIG. 8, it is noted that in the case ofusing means for selectively closing and opening the openings eachassociated with the openings, also the use of air nozzles would bepossible, which may only be controlled together or may not becontrolled, but be constantly opened. If in this case several objects 10were located on the surface 12, then with objects which should notchange their position the set of means 84 ₂-84 ₉ could be controlled sothat all corresponding openings close, so that the corresponding aircushion only acts in a carrying way below the same. Only with the objector those objects which are to be moved, one or more of the openings areopened by the means 84 ₂-84 ₉.

While the above-described embodiments described with reference to FIGS.2-8 had in common that an air cushion is generated between object andtransport surface, this only presents an optional measure for theembodiments described in the following with reference to FIGS. 9 a-13 b.According to the embodiments described in the following, the positionchange of the object on the surface is generated by a suitable controlof a lateral distribution of individually controllable magnetic coilsarranged distributed along the transport surface.

FIGS. 9 a and 9 b exemplarily show the transport surface 12 along whichan array of magnetic coils 90 is arranged so that the magnetic flowgenerated by a current flow through this magnetic coil 90 basically runssymmetrically to an axis which is perpendicular to the surface 12. Inother words, a longitudinal axis of the magnetic coils 90 isperpendicular to the surface 12. As indicated in FIG. 9 a, the magneticcoils 90 are, for example, embedded in a carrier material 92 for exampleconsisting of magnetically permeable material. The individualcontrollability of the magnetic coils 90 is caused by correspondinglines and switches which are not illustrated in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b forsimplifying the illustration, and which enable that for the individualmagnetic coils 90 a current flow may be generated individually throughthe same.

Depending on the embodiment it may be the case that the magnetic coils90 may either only be set into two states like, e.g., a current-carryingand a non-current-carrying state or a state subjected to alternatingcurrent and a current-less state, or into three states, i.e. acurrent-less state and two further states different regarding thedirection of current flow. Combinations of these controllabilities mayalso be possible, like e.g. by providing an individual or selectiveconnectability of the magnetic coils 90 to a voltage source which againprovides, for all magnetic coils 90 equally, depending on the setting bythe control means 18, alternating current, direct voltage into one ordirect voltage into the other direction.

When the means 16 for moving the object across the surface (FIG. 1)comprises a distribution of individually controllable magnetic coils 90,the control means 18 is able to offset the object 10 from the currentposition received from the position determination means 14 into adesired position. In this respect, the object 10 itself may eitherconsist of magnetically attracting and/or repelling material, like e.g.iron, or the object is locally provided with one or several suchmagnetically attracting and/or magnetically repelling elements in anotherwise magnetically permeable material.

FIGS. 10 a-10 c show embodiments in which the object 10 is made of anotherwise magnetically permeable material, wherein, however, in theregion of the bottom of the object 10 a magnetically attracting and/ormagnetically repelling element is arranged like, e.g., cast into amagnetically permeable material. The magnetically permeable materialmay, for example, be plastics. According to FIGS. 10 a and 10 b theelement 100 is, for example, a permanent magnet. According to theembodiment of FIG. 10 c, the element is, for example, a coil 110. As itwill be described in the following, in one object of course severalelements 100 or 110 may be arranged in laterally different positionsalong the supporting surface of the object 10. In case of FIGS. 10 a and10 b the magnetic poles of the permanent magnet 10 are exemplarilyarranged along a surface normal of the transport surface 12, in case ofFIG. 10 c, the coil axis along the surface normal.

FIG. 10 a exemplarily shows how the control means 18 may use a magneticrepelling force to move the object 10 along the surface 12. In thisrespect, the control means 18, for example, activates one of the coils90 along the surface 12 so that its magnetic north pole is facing thenorth pole of the permanent magnet 100 across the surface 12, that isthe magnetic coil 90 of the plurality of magnetic coils arranged offsetrelative to the location of the permanent magnet 100 in one directionwhich is opposite to the direction 112 into which the object 10 is to bemoved. The magnetic repulsion between the permanent magnets 100 and theexcited coil 90 causes a force into the desired direction 112.

On the other hand, the control means 18 is able to control a magneticcoil 90 arranged in the desired shifting direction 112 offset to thepermanent magnet 100 so that its magnetic north/south alignmentcorresponds to that of the permanent magnet, so that opposing poles ofthe coil 90 and the permanent magnet 100 are opposite to each otheracross the surface 12 and the resulting magnetic attracting force causesa lateral shifting of the object 10 in the desired direction 112. Incase of FIG. 10 b, the control means 19 excites the one magnetic coil 90among the plurality of magnetic coils which is arranged offset relativeto the location of the permanent magnet 100 in one direction which isrectified or equal to the direction 112 into which the object 10 is tobe moved.

In case of FIG. 10 c, different control possibilities exist. Ifapplicable, in the object 10 a current generation means which is notillustrated in FIG. 10 c like, e.g., a battery or an accumulator isarranged, which generates a current flow in the magnetic coil 110 of theobject 10 so that the latter again acts in this state like one of thepermanent magnets 100. In this case, the control means 18 may executethe control as is described in FIGS. 10 a and 10 b.

The magnetic coil 110 does not have to be controlled externally forexample by an object internal battery or the like to be current carryingand thus to behave like a permanent magnet. The magnetic coil 110 mayalso be short-circuited at its ends via a branch parallel to the coil110 or they may be electrically connected to each other via animpedance. In this case, a magnetic field being built up or down by theexcitation coil 90 induces a current through the magnetic coil 110 ofthe object 10 which in turn generates a magnetic field opposite to themagnetic field change, i.e. an opposing magnetic field in case of anincreasing magnetic field generated by the excitation coils 90 and arectified magnetic field in case of a decreasing magnetic fieldgenerated by the excitation coil 90. The control means 18 may use thiseffect by controlling those magnetic coils 90′ which are arranged in thedirection opposite to the desired direction 112 offset to the coil 110so that they generate a magnetic field getting stronger at the coil 110which shifts the objects 10 in the desired direction 112 due to theinduced current in the magnetic coil 110 and controls those magneticcoils 90 arranged in the desired direction 112 offset from the coil 110so that they generate a magnetic field getting weaker which causes anattraction of the magnetic coil 110 and thus of the object 10 in thedirection 112. The control means may execute this, for example such thatfor example the excitation coil 90 or 90′ are sequentially controlled sothat below or in the area of the magnetic coil 110 of the object 10 inthe direction 112, the excitation coils in the direction 112 in front ofthe magnetic coil 110 first of all lead to an increase of the magneticfield at the location of the magnetic coil 110, whereupon the magneticcoils in the direction 112 behind the magnetic coil 110 lead to adecrease of the magnetic field at the location of the magnetic coil 110.In contrast to the embodiments of FIGS. 10 a and 10 b, thus, theexcitation location where the excitation coils 90 are activated by thecontrol means 18 does not push the object in front of the same or pullit along, but the excitation location cyclically passes the floor spacein which the object 10 is currently located in the desired direction112.

Shifting across longer distances, i.e. more that an inter-coil distance,is caused by the control means by selectively activating the coils sothat a location in which the activated coils 90 are located hurriesahead or behind the current location of the object 10 or that determinedby the means 14 in order to—as described above—“draw along” or “pushahead” the object.

FIGS. 11 a and 11 b again show the possibility to provide the object 10with magnetically attracting and/or magnetically repelling elementsarranged offset to each other in an otherwise magnetically permeablematerial of the object 10. In particular in the case of FIG. 11 a twocoil windings 110 a and 110 b are arranged laterally offset to eachother, while in the case of FIG. 11 b in the base of the object 10 twopermanent magnets 100 a and 100 b are provided and arranged offset toeach other whose magnetic north and south pole are arranged exemplarilyequally and along a surface normal of a supporting surface of the object10. The longitudinal axes of the coils 110 a and 110 b also passperpendicular to a supporting surface of the object 10.

FIGS. 12 a and 12 b are to illustrate how the control means 18 maygenerate a translational movement and a rotational movement of theobject 10 when the object 10 according to FIG. 11 a and FIG. 10 ccomprises a passive magnetic coil or according to FIG. 11 b a magnet,wherein a magnetic attracting force between this magnet and the magneticcoils of the array along the surface 12 is used.

FIG. 12 a shows the object 10 in a certain starting position, whereinthe control means 18 wants to move the object 10 translationally intothe direction of the arrows. FIG. 12 a assumes that the object 10 eithercomprises four permanent magnets 100 a-100 d or two magnetic coils 110 aand 110 b. The distance between the magnetic coils 110 a and 110 b orbetween the four permanent magnets 100 a-100 d is selected so that itcorresponds to the distances of the regularly arranged magnetic coils90. For example, the four permanent magnets 100 a-100 d are exemplarilyarranged so that they are exactly opposite to corresponding fourmagnetic coils 90 in the position indicated in FIG. 12 a. By a 90°rotation of the object 10 again such a situation results with othermagnetic coils 90. In order to now generate the movement into thedesired direction, the control means 18 as indicated by the arrows andtheir numbering, passes the activation of the magnetic coils 90 fromthose arranged below the permanent magnets 100 a-100 d or the coils 110a and 110 b to those arranged offset to this in the desired direction,i.e. first of all those magnetic coils are excited to which the arrowswith the number 1 are directed, then those to which the arrows with thenumber 2 are directed, etc. The excitation of the corresponding magneticcoils 90 of course depends on whether it is an object 10 with coils 110a and 110 b or permanent magnets 100 a-100 b, wherein depending on thecase, the excitation includes applying a voltage change to thecorresponding magnetic coils 90 or applying a direct voltage as it wasdescribed with reference to FIG. 10 a-10 c, i.e. in the case ofpermanent magnets in the object 10 the excitation locations simply drawthe object 10 behind the same, while in the case of magnetic coils inthe object 10 the excitation coils are controlled temporally, so thatthe magnetic field decreases at the location of the magnetic coils ofthe object 10 leads to an attracting force in the desired direction (topright, FIG. 12 a). Here, in the latter case already at a previous timethe excitation coils 90 further at the front in the desired direction ofmovement were already, for example, controlled so that at the locationof the magnetic coils of the object 10 a magnetic field increaseresulted, which led to a repelling force in the desired direction (topright, FIG. 12 a).

In FIG. 12 b the same starting position is illustrated as in FIG. 12 a,wherein, however, the control means 18 for leaving this startingposition and for achieving a rotational movement of the object 10excites other magnetic coils 90. How the excitation of the currentlyexcited magnetic coils is changed to the next time is indicated in FIG.12 b again by the arrows with a number 1. As it is indicated, acounterclockwise rotational movement results.

FIGS. 13 a and 13 b again refer to the case that was indicated in FIG.10 a, that is the movement of an object by using magnetic repulsion. Inthe case of FIGS. 13 a and 13 b the object only comprises two permanentmagnets 100 a and 100 b as it was also the case in FIG. 11 b. Themagnetic polarity corresponds to that of FIG. 10 a, i.e. excitedmagnetic coils 90 are poled in an opposite direction to the permanentmagnets 100 a and 100 b. It is again indicated in FIGS. 13 a and 13 b inwhich direction the location of the excited magnetic coils 90 moves inorder to “shift ahead of itself” the permanent magnets 100 a and 100 b.

With reference to FIGS. 14-15 b, in the following an embodiment for themeans 16 for moving the object across the surface (FIG. 1) is described,according to which the means for motion generation generates bendingwaves or surface waves in the surface 12. The following disclosure thusrepresents an alternative for the magnetic lateral movement generationaccording to FIGS. 9 a-13 b and may only optionally be combined with ameasure according to which an air cushion is used to reduce the weightof the object.

The principle on which this embodiment is based is illustrated in FIG.14. A surface or bending wave propagating along the transport surface 12which is generated by a bending wave generation means 141 causes anelliptical movement 114 of the surface points of the surface 12 whenregarding their position over time. It is thus again noted that in FIG.14 the state of the surface 12 at a fixed time is illustrated regardingits lateral extension, and for a special surface point 140 the course ofits position is illustrated over time, i.e. by the ellipse and thearrows at 140. In case of FIG. 14, the direction of movement of thebending wave is along the arrow 142. As it may be seen, the surfacepoints of the surface 12 move at the respective wave peaks 144 on whichthe object 10 is seated, i.e. the direction of line 140 at its topmostpoint, in a direction 146 which is opposite to the bending wavepropagation direction 142. The object 10 which is at least mainlysupported by the wave peaks 144 thus moves in the same direction 148 asthe surface points at the wave peaks due to the bending waves, i.e. thedirection 146.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 14, thus the means 16 for moving theobject across the surface (FIG. 1) includes a means for generatingbending waves in the surface 12. The control means 18 generates thebending waves so that as described in FIG. 14, the object 10 is movedinto the desired direction. The control means 18 may in this respect usethe known calculating methods from wave field synthesis in order toaccordingly calculate the bending wave generation.

FIGS. 15 a and 15 b represent a possibility how bending waves may begenerated in the transport surface 12. The transport surface 12 isformed by a plate 150 which is, for example, stiff and may betransparent which enables a combination with the following embodimentsfor a position determination means 14, according to which for positiondetermination a screen 152 is used, which is already indicated in FIG.15 a. The plate 12 is held along its edge 154 by a carrier 156 which isu-shaped in cross-section, by a material which may serve as an adhesiveand/or as a means for attenuating bending waves in the plate 50occupying a spacing or gap between the carrier 156 serving as aretaining clip and the plate 150 and thus, for example, connecting thesame mechanically and/or coupling or decoupling the same acoustically.Piezoelements 160 are applied to opposite sides of the plate 150 andextend to opposite interior sides 162 a and 162 b of the carrier 156 tobe also applied there so that mechanical vibrations may be transferredto the plate 150 as undamped as possible in the surface normal directionto the plate 150 as it is indicated by the double arrows in FIG. 15 a.The piezoelements 160 are, for example, arranged along the edge 154 ofthe plate 150 in a suitable exemplary equidistant distance to eachother.

In the carrier 156, as illustrated in FIGS. 15 a and 15 b, a groove 164may be provided along the direction of extension of the plate edge intowhich the plate 150 held by the attenuating material 158 projects, sothat when exerting a force which is too high onto the plate 150 into thedirection of the surface normal the piezoelements 160 or the attenuatingmaterial 158 are not damaged. In other words, the groove restricts thetranslational movements of the plates 150 in the direction of thesurface normal around a resting position defined by the attenuatingmaterial 158 so that the piezoelements may not be damaged.

Of course, the groove 164 which is arranged further outside relative tothe piezoelements 160 may be implemented so that it leaves no roombetween the plate 150 and its interior side, so that the groove 164holds the plate 150. Depending on the circumstances, like e.g. thestiffness and the thickness of the plate, the latter solution mayfacilitate bending wave generation with a suitable frequency andamplitude.

It is, however, also noted that for the solution illustrated in FIGS. 15a and 15 b, a plurality of alternatives exist, which relate both to thetype of excitation, i.e. other drive mechanisms than piezodrives, likee.g. by electromotive drives, and also to fixing or non-fixing at theedge, bending wave attenuation at the edge for example by attenuatingmaterial or suitable shaping of the cross-section of the edge, thesupport of the plate, like e.g. by a bead instead of a groove and/orfoam material, and the arrangement of the excitation means 160.

Although it is indicated in FIG. 15 a that the piezoelements 160 arearranged on both sides of the plate 150, it is further possible that thepiezoelements 160 are only arranged on one side like e.g. the sideforming the transport surface 12.

By suitable precautions, reflections of bending waves in the plate 150at the edge 154 may be prevented. For this, the plate 150 along its edge154 is, for example, coated or the attenuating material 158 is suitablyselected or the shape of the plate 150 comprises at its edge a taperingcross-section or the like to provide an anti-reflective edge terminationin one or a combination of these ways.

Although it is not illustrated in FIGS. 15 a and 15 b, the plate 150may, for example, comprise a rectangular or a square shape. Other shapesare also possible, like for example a round one or the like.

Finally, it is noted that the bending waves do not necessarily have tobe formed in a plate. Possibly, surface waves may also be generated in avoluminous body whose one side serves as the transport plane.

After embodiments of the present invention were described for the means16 for moving the object across the surface (FIG. 1), in the following,first of all with reference to FIGS. 16-25, a plurality of embodimentsfor the position determination means 14 (FIG. 1) are described,according to which the position determination means 14 comprises adisplay and an optical sensor in the object.

FIG. 16 shows a device for determining a position or location of anobject 601 on a display 602. The device includes a control means 603 afor controlling the display 602 such that the same displays laterallyvarying information at a front side 602 a, and an optical sensor 603 bfor being accommodated in or at the object 601 for optically scanning asupporting surface 602 a′ of the front side 602 a on which the object601 rests or stands in order to obtain a sampling result with respect tothe laterally varying information. Apart from that, the device includesa determination means 604, 604′ for determining the position of theobject 601 on the display 602 depending on the sampling result, asindicated in FIG. 16 by dashed lines, arranged in or at the objectand/or outside the same and separated from the same.

As it will be explained in more detail in the following embodiments,there are different possibilities for the laterally varying informationwhich the display 602 displays upon a control by the control means 603a. For example, the display means 603 a may control the display 602 tosequentially request potential locations or positions of the object 601on the display 602 by controlling the display 602 such that the samedisplays an optical spatially limited characteristic differentiable froma current screen background of the display 602, like, for example, afully illuminated pixel, a switched-off pixel or a flickering pixelwhich displays the laterally varying information sequentially at thedifferent positions at the front side 602 a. In this respect, thecharacteristic, for example, scans the complete screen 602 in a zigzagway like for example line after line. On the basis of a synchronizationbetween the sequential display of the characteristic at the potentiallocations on the one hand and the determination means 604 or 604′ on theother hand, the determination means 604 or 604′ may conclude theposition of the object 601 on the display 602 from a temporalrelationship or ratio between the sequential display of thecharacteristic on the display 602 on the one hand and the time when theoptical sensor 603 b detects the characteristic, i.e. at the time whenthe characteristic is located within the supporting surface 602 a′. Ifthe determination means 604 or 604′ is arranged externally to the object601, as it is indicated at 604′, then the common time base or thesynchronization between determination means 604′ and control means 603 amay be executed in a simple way, for example, by a common timing. Thiscase is explained in more detail in the following with reference to thefollowing figures. It would, however, also be possible that thedetermination means in the object 601 is only informed by the controlmeans 603 a with respect to the beginning of the sequential display ofthe characteristic which then passes through the possible locations orpositions in a predetermined speed, for example, cyclically. Formaintaining the synchronization, a further comparison may be provided.It is further possible that the determination means 604 or 604′ and thecontrol means 603 a cooperate so that the brightness value detected bythe optical sensor 603 b after each shifting of the characteristic tothe next potential location is actively queried, whereupon first thecharacteristic is further shifted and the next brightness value isqueried, etc.

Apart from the above-mentioned possibility to sequentially or evencyclically query the possible locations of the object 601 bysequentially passing these locations and sequentially indicating acharacteristic at these locations, there is a further possibility fordetermining the location by the display means 603 a controlling thedisplay 602 such that the same displays a binary subdivision refiningstep by step which enables to localize the object 601 in n steps with anaccuracy which corresponds to a 2^(n)-th of the extension of the display602. For example, the display means 603 a halves the extension of thedisplay 602 first into two halves by displaying something different inone half than in the other half or by overlaying in one half the screenbackground with something different than in the other. Based on thesampling results by the optical sensor 603 b the determination means 604may determine in which half the object 601 is located, whereupon itagain halves this half in the next step in a corresponding way anddetermines based on the new sampling result in which screen quarter ofthe screen 602 the object 601 is located, etc. In case of severalobjects on the display 602 it is also possible that the control means603 a again halves all current areas in which an object is located in acertain step, which is why a localization of several objects in the sameresolution is possible simultaneously by the above-described stepwiserefining binary subdivision. Also this type of localization is explainedin more detail in the following embodiments. A common time base betweenthe determination means 604 or 604′ and the control means 603 a so thatthe determination means may allocate the sampling result of the opticalsensor 603 b to the right step in the stepwise refining binarysubdivision, may be executed like in the previous scanning query of thedisplay screen, like, e.g. by querying the one or several brightnessvalues per step.

Finally, it will be possible for the control means 603 a to control thedisplay 602 such that the same displays laterally varying informationwhich varies laterally such that using a section of this informationwith an extension corresponding to that which is scanned by the opticalcenter 603 b, the place within the display 602 may be uniquelyconcluded. An example for this would be a checkered pattern on thedisplay 602 whose interval width changes strictly monotonously, from onecorner up to an opposing corner of the display 602. In this case nosynchronization or no common time base is needed between thedetermination means 604 and the control means 603 a.

One advantage of accommodating the determination means 604′ outside theobject 601 is that the requirements regarding the performance to beprovided for each object 601 to be localized is lower. In case of awireless transmission from the optical sensor 603 b to the determinationmeans 604′ it may, for example, be the case that the brightnessinformation detected by the optical sensor 603 b are directlytransferred to the determination means 604′ which thereupon examines thesame regarding the laterally varying information displayed on thedisplay 602. It is further possible, however, that a part 604 of thedetermination means located in the object 601 already executes apreprocessing of the pure brightness information of the optical sensor603 b to transmit information extracted from the brightness informationto the other part 604′, like, for example, a time of occurrence of acharacteristic sequentially passing the display 602 in the area of asupporting surface 602 a. Different further possibilities are explainedin the following.

After now above a device for determining an object on a display wascoarsely explained, in the following with reference to FIGS. 17-20 agame device is described like, e.g., for chess or the like, where a gamepiece or several game pieces are localized on a display of the gamedevice so that the following disclosures, so to speak, also represent apossible application for the device described in FIG. 16.

Although in the following such a game device is described, the positiondetermination as it is used here for the game piece may also be appliedin other applications for corresponding objects, as it will be explainedafter the description of the figures of FIGS. 16-20.

The game device of FIG. 17, generally designated by 605, includes adisplay 610, a computer 612, a receiver 614 and a game piece 616. Thecomputer 612 is connected to the display 610 and includes a controlmeans 618 for controlling the display 610, like e.g. a graphics card ofthe computer 612, and a processing means 620, like e.g. a CPU of thecomputer 612 in connection with a program executed on the same which isresponsible for the game functions of the game device 605, as it isexplained in detail in the following. The computer 612 or the processingmeans 620 is further connected to the receiver 614.

The game piece 616 comprises a floor space 622 which is provided to besupported on the display 610 during the game and thus cover a part ofthe screen content of the display 610, i.e. the supporting surface.

In the interior of the game piece 616 a transmission means 624 islocated which communicates with the receiver 614 and is further able ata time at which the game piece 616 is placed on the display 610 todetect a part of the screen content located below the floor space 622.

The game device further has the capability to move the game piecewithout user interaction, wherein in this respect the computer 612 orthe processing means 620 for example also takes over the function of thecontrol 18 and has a moving means 16 coupled via the control 18 to theposition determination means wherein the latter is formed by the display610, the processing means 620, the control means 618 and the opticalsensor in the object 616.

As it is illustrated in FIG. 18, the transmission means 624 inparticular includes a transmitter 626 which is able to transmit aresponse signal to the receiver 614, which is explained in more detailin the following, and an optical sensor 628, like e.g. a photo cell or aphoto array which is aligned so that it detects radiation or lightimpinging upon the floor space 622. Apart from this, the transmissionmeans 624 may further comprise a processing means 630 via which thetransmitter 626 is coupled to the optical sensor 628, wherein, however,alternatively also a direct coupling between the transmitter 626 and theoptical sensor 628 would be possible.

After the individual components of the game device 605 were describedabove, in the following, with reference to FIG. 19, the functioning ofthe game device during a game is described. The game may, for example,be chess or the like, wherein, however, the following disclosure withreference to FIG. 19 is limited to describing the functionality of theprocessing means 620 in connection with the determination of theposition of the game piece 616 on the display 610 which the processingmeans 620 then, for example, uses to plot game moves, determine gamemoves of a computer opponent or the like.

In its basic state, i.e., in an initial state of the method according toFIG. 19, the processing means 620 causes the control means 618 tocontrol the display 610 so that the display 610 displays a game field.The processing means 620, thus, is knowledgeable about a game fieldrepresented on the display 610. In FIG. 17, as an example, a game fieldis illustrated comprising three game field 632 upon which the game piece616 may be placed according to game rules. Displaying the backgroundimage is executed in step 634. Thereupon, the control means 618 controlsthe display 610 so that the background image or the game board isoverlaid by a special pattern at the possible game fields 632, whereinthe pattern clearly stands out from the background image. In particular,the control means 618 controls the display 610 in step 636 such that thegame field 632 are passed one after the other and, for example,cyclically, to each display sequentially, one after the other, thespecial pattern. The display of the pattern in the respective gamefields 632 may, for example, be limited to a partial area 638 in theinterior of the game fields 632, such as, e.g., to a pixel of thedisplay 610. The special pattern may be different from the remainingbackground representing the game board in terms of a special color or atemporal variation regarding brightness or color, wherein in thefollowing different embodiments are provided in this respect.

During step 636, the optical sensor 628 of the transmission means 624continuously scans the portion of the screen content of the display 610which is located below the floor space 622 of the game piece 616. Assoon as the special pattern is displayed in step 636, in the game field632 on which the game piece 616 is placed, then at the output signal ofthe optical sensor 628, the special pattern for the processing means 630may be detected. After detecting the optical pattern by the processingmeans 630 in step 640, the processing means 630 causes the transmitter626 to send out a response signal to the receiver 614 via thecontactless interface 642 (step 644). The receiver 614 passes theresponse signal on to the processing means 620. At the time of receivingthe response signal, the processing means 620 is further informed aboutthe game field 632 in which in step 636 the special pattern isdisplayed. Considering a possible temporal offset between the display ofthe special pattern in the respective game field 632 and the receipt ofthe information of sending out the response signal by the transmitter626, the processing means 620 then determines the position of the gamepiece 616 on the display 610 in step 646.

Transmitting the response signal via the contactless interface 642 is,for example, possible by means of using the RFID technology (radiofrequency identification). Further, however, a (not indicated in FIG.17) wire bonded transmission by the transmission means 624 to theprocessing means 18 is possible.

If the signal transmitted in step 644 by the transmitter 626 is designedsuch that it contains a unique identification number, then in step 646,apart from position determination of a piece, a unique identification ofthe piece among a plurality of game pieces may also be executed. Thisenables games, such as, for example, chess in which game pieces have adifferent meaning and, thus, the processing means 620 should be able todifferentiate the same.

In case of a chess game, a unique identification number may, forexample, be an identification number between 1 and 32 in order todifferentiate between the 32 chess pieces.

As at any time of the game the processing means 618 knows the positionand type of the game pieces 616 located on the display 610, a fast“copying” of a special game situation is possible without first havingto “play up to” this situation from the chess starting position.

If the computer 612 or the processing means 620 is further connected toa data interface 648 (such as, e.g., a modem or a network connection),then the processing means 620 may transmit the position and the identityof all game pieces and, if applicable, the background represented on thedisplay 610 to an external device. Further, if the processing means 620is designed such that it may also receive data from the data interface648, in this way a team player mode may be reached. For example, in achess game two players may play against each other wherein theirprocessing means 620 are networked by means of the data interface 648via the internet. Each player would only move his own pieces. The piecesof the player connected via the network would be moved by the localcomputer by means of means 14, 16 and 18. For example, with a move ofthe first player, the new position of a currently moved game piece 616under game board represented by the display 610, as described in FIG.19, would be detected locally. The processing means 620 would thenreport the new position of this piece to the corresponding processingmeans 620 of the second player by means of a data interface 648 via theinternet, which, in turn, would cause the control means 618 to controlthe moving means so that on the display 610 of the second player themoved game piece 616 (for example, bishop, pawn, etc.) takes on the newposition. Thereupon, the second player may register the new gamesituation and plan his next move which, after it is performed, wouldagain be reported to the first player according to the above method. Thegame 605 may, thus, be used as a chess game in which you can playagainst the computer but also against another spatially separated playerand wherein the enemy pieces automatically move. The processing means620 may also check compliance with game rules and inform the player (incase of a game against a computer opponent) or the players (in case of agame in a team player mode) when an action is performed which does notcomply with game rules.

Although in the above example of the chess game, the team player modenaturally includes only two players, it is also possible to play gameswith the game device 605 in which several players compete with eachother, such as, for example, the game “Mensch-Ärger-Dich-Nicht”(comparable to the Ludo board game).

A further embodiment is to illustrate the implementation of games, suchas, for example, strategy games in which not only the determination ofthe position and the identification of the individual game pieces is ofdecisive importance but also the orientation of the figures on the gameboard. The information of the orientation of the pieces which is ofstrategic importance for some games, such as, for example, the advance,retreat or pincer movement of military troops, may be detected using thedevice and the method as, for example, described in FIG. 5. The pattern38 sequentially illustrated in every field of the display 10 would, forexample, include 3×3 pixels. The determination of the position of a gamepiece 16 and the identification of this game piece 16 may be executedlike in the above embodiment of the chess game. The orientationdetermination of the game piece 16 may now, for example, be executed sothat in four temporal steps each one corner pixel of the pattern 38would be switched off (the corner pixel would not be illuminated) and,thus, not be detectable by the optical sensor 28 of the transmissionmeans 24.

The corresponding optical sensor 628 at the transmission means 624 wouldthen be set up such that a corner pixel of the field which also 3×3pixels large would be an empty or “blind” panel (i.e., not capable ofbeing scanned). In each of the four temporal steps, the processing means630 accommodated in the transmission means 624 checks the number of dark(i.e., not illuminated) corner pixels detected by the optical sensor628. In one of the four temporal steps, the switched off corner pixel ofthe pattern 628 coincides with the “blind” corner pixel of the opticalsensor 628, i.e., only one corner pixel is detected as being dark. Atthe end of the four temporal steps, the processing means 630 causes thetransmitter 626 to transmit a response signal to the processing means620 which contains information in which of the four temporal steps onlyone dark corner pixel was registered. If the processing means 620 knowsthe position of the blind pixel at the optical sensor 626 with referenceto the Fig. (e.g., “left rear”), from this response signal anorientation determination of the game piece 616 would be possible, asthe processing means 620 obtains unique orientation information of thegame piece 616 from knowing the four temporal steps when displaying thepattern 628 and the information in which of the four temporal steps onlyone dark corner pixel was registered. This type of detection wouldenable four orientation directions of the game piece 616, i.e.,“directed forward”, “turned to the right”, “turned to the left” and“directed backwards”. A possible finer “pixelization or blurring” of thepattern 638 and the optical sensor 628 would, for example, enable aneven more accurate determination of the orientation of the game piece616.

Alternatively, it would also be possible to determine the orientation ofthe game piece 616 by the transmission means 624 reporting the pattern638 detected by the optical sensor 628 to the processing means 620 as aresponse signal. The processing means 620 might then determine theorientation of the game piece 616 from this response signal and usingits knowledge regarding the orientation of the pattern 638 on thedisplay 610 by detecting that the image of the pattern 638 contained inthe response signal is “upside down”, for example.

Although the transmission of the response signal in step 644 wastriggered by detecting the pattern 628 by the optical sensor 628, it isalso possible that the transmission means 624 permanently transmits theimage detected by the optical sensor 628 and a unique identificationnumber to the processing means 620. The processing means 620 then, forexample, causes the control means 618 to cyclically represent thepattern 626 in one of the fields 632 each. In this case, the positiondetermination of the object 616 is executed by the processing means 620registering when the image transmitted by the transmission means 624contains the pattern 626 and, thus, a unique position determination ofthe object 626 in the field 632 is possible in which the pattern 626 isgenerated.

As already mentioned above, the processing means 630 may be missing incase the measured value of the sensor 628 is sent out, wherein themeasured value may be a number which depends on the light incidence ontothe sensor 628. Of course, the processing means may determine anothervalue from this number before sending out by quantization or thresholdvalue comparison, wherein this value is then sent out to thedetermination means. In case of a sensor having several pixels, forexample the measured values of all pixels are transmitted to thedetermination means at one point in time. The processing means 630 mayalso determine, for example, a scalar value from the several measuredvalues of the pixels by preprocessing, which is then transmitted to thedetermination means as a response signal.

Although only devices and methods are described above, in which theprocessing means 620 causes the control means 618 to sequentiallydisplay a pattern 638 in one of the fields 632 each, it is also possiblethat different uniquely differentiable patterns 638 are displayedsimultaneously in each of the fields 632 on the display 610. A positiondetermination of the object 616 is then possible by the transmitter 626continuously transmitting the image detected by the optical sensor 628to the processing means 620, which then determines from a comparison ofthe received image and all patterns represented in the fields 636 theposition of the object 616 in the field 632 in which the displayedpattern 638 corresponds to the image contained in the response signal.Here, alternatively, also rotations of the transmitted image may beconsidered by the processing means 620 to obtain a match of the imagewith a pattern represented on the display 610.

In the above discussion of FIGS. 16 to 20, the processing means 620served as the determination means 604′ of FIG. 16 and the processingmeans 630 took over tasks of the determination means 604 of FIG. 16.

It is again explicitly noted, that it is not necessary for the opticalsensor 603 b or 628 to comprise a lateral resolution. The optical sensormay comprise only one pixel and, thus, determine for each point in timeonly one brightness value including and excluding color information. Inparticular, the optical sensor may be implemented as one singlephotodiode. An array of photodiodes is not necessary. This will beexplained again in the following embodiment which refers to a game withseveral game pieces and is explained with reference to FIG. 17. Forexample, in this embodiment, all game pieces 616 comprise a passive or asemi-passive RFID sensor including means 626 and, if applicable 630, andto which one single photo sensor is connected, such as a photodiode 628which, for example, comprises a light sensitive area which is largerthan a pixel of the display 610 regarding its dimensions. As the gamepieces in this exemplary case are only provided with photo diodes whichmay be of a relatively large size, the costs for the game are less thanin case of an array of photo diodes in the respective game pieces 616.

In this game scenario, the device of FIG. 17 executes the methodaccording to FIG. 21, for example, in order to localize the game pieceson the display 610 and, if applicable, determine their orientation. Asillustrated in FIG. 21, the method starts by the processing means 620instructing the display 610 in the computer 612 via the control means618 to switch the screen off so that it becomes dark (step 660).Thereupon, the processing means 620 searches for all reachable RFIDs 624or all reachable game pieces 616 via the transmitter/receiver 614 andnotes or stores the status or the brightness value of the respectivephoto sensors 628, i.e., whether the photo sensor of a respectivereachable game piece, e.g., sees dark or light at the time of query(step 662). Depending on the RFID technology which is, of course, onlyan example for a wireless communication 642, for example 100 to 1000RFIDs and thus, 100 to 1000 game pieces per second may be findable forthe processing means 620. The result of step 662 is a list of all gamepieces located in the proximity of the receiver 614 independent ofwhether they are positioned on the game board or the display 610 or not.

Thereupon, the processing means 620 of the computer 612 switches on(bright) the display 610 (step 664) via the control means 618 andsearches again all reachable RFIDs 624 in a subsequent step 666 or atleast notes the status of the photo sensors 628 of the reachable RFIDs624 in step 666. From the two brightness values for each reachable RFID624, the processing means 620 is able to detect those gain pieces 616where the status or the detected brightness value of the respectiveoptical sensor 628 changed by more than a predetermined measure. Thiscomparison of brightness values before and after switching on or brightin step 664 is executed by the processing means 620 in step 668. Theresult of the step 68 is the game pieces positioned on the game board orthe display 610, as it is to be assumed that the game pieces whosesensor status changed are placed on the display 610 while the other gamepieces are not placed on the display 610 or the game board.

Possibly, steps 660 to 668 may be repeated one or several times in orderto increase the security of detection in step 668, wherein searching ornoting in steps 662 and 666 may, for example, be restricted to thealready known RFIDs. All in all, i.e., with or without repetition, steps660 to 668 are, for example, executed within a maximum of two seconds.

Thereupon, the processing means 620 in the computer 612 causes thedisplay 610 to be halved step by step via the control means 618 by thesame, for example, first of all switching one half 6101 to be dark andthe other half 6102 of the display to be bright, in a next step, again,switching one half 6103 to be dark and the other half 6104 to be brightwithin the two halves and in a subsequent step, again, dividing thedefined quarters 6103, again, in a dark and a bright half, etc. Onepossible sequence of screen displays which are displayed one after theother in the individual steps on the display 610 is indicated in FIG.22, in the order from left to right with the only four representedexemplary individual partial steps 670 a, 670 b, 670 c, 670 d. While theprocessing means 620 executes this binary division in step 670, itrecords for each partial step of step 670 whether the respective opticalsensor 628 indicates that the game piece is positioned on the brighthalf or on the dark half of the screen. This way, the processing means620 executes a “binary search” of the locations of the game pieces 616in step 670. On the basis of the recorded or logged response or feedbackof the game pieces 616 or the logged brightness values for theindividual partial steps 670 a, 670 b, 670 c, 670 d, etc., of the binarysearch 670, the processing means 620 then concludes the positions of theindividual game pieces.

Alternatively, it is possible for the processing means 620 in step 670to execute the binary search for determining what game piece is locatedwhere with ever smaller light areas, i.e., by first switching one half,then one quarter, then one eighth etc. of the screen bright or dark andthen checking what game pieces then report bright or dark. As for eachfield, ever less and known figures have to be searched and, thus, onlyareas have to be processed more accurately on which pieces are located,the binary search in step 670 is not very time consuming.

As it may be seen from FIG. 22, the area division into bright and darkareas in each partial step in the binary search 670 becomes eversmaller. In particular, it is possible that this division becomes assmall as the pixel resolution itself. In particular, the division maybecome so fine that the individual light areas in one partial step aresmaller than the optical sensors 628 of the game pieces 616, i.e.,smaller than the floor space or footprint of the pieces 616, so that theprocessing means 620 may determine also the edges of the pieces 616 and,in particular, the edges of the light sensitive areas of thecorresponding optical sensors 628 from the logged responses orbrightness values for the individual partial steps 670 a to 670 d.

The result of step 670 is, thus, the locations of the game pieces 616which are located on the screen 610.

In a subsequent step 672 it may now be the case that the processingmeans 620 at each location of a game piece of step 670 executes an exactscanning of photo sensor extent of the optical photo sensors 628 of thegame pieces 616 located on the screen 610. Scanning, for example,provides scanning by only one pixel or one light point. For example, amask with a suitable geometrical pattern is placed in front of the photosensor 628 of each game piece 616, wherein the pattern may only betransferred into its original form by a rotation in the screen plane bymore than 90° or, for example, only by a rotation of 360°, for example.In this case, by scanning in step 672 possibly not only the position butalso the direction of the piece 616 may be determined into which therespective piece is aligned or directed. For example, the RFIDs 626 ofthe game pieces 616 may be addressed or queried separately and with ahigh frequency via the transmit/receive means 614. For example, morethan 100 read operations per second are possible, so that the exactscanning in step 672 may take place fast and imperceptible for the user.In particular, the exact scanning in step 672 is, for example, limitedto the game piece locations. The effort of the corresponding patternrecognition for a lateral resolution of the mask may, as describedabove, be shifted to the computer 612 or the processing means 620 by thesensors only transmitting the brightness values. The game pieces 616only need the mask or correspondingly shaped photo sensors 628. Roundphoto sensors or round masks are possible if no orientation of the gamepieces has to be detected in the respective game.

It is illustrated in FIG. 23, that the game piece 616 possibly may alsocomprise a lens 690 at its floor space 622, e.g. a plastic lens, whichmaps the pixels 692 of the display 610 onto the optical sensor 628 orthe mask (not illustrated) of the same for improving the opticalcharacteristics. For example, the lens 690 bridges a distance betweenthe floor space 622 and the pixels 692 of the display 610 which isdefined by a protective screen 694 which is located between the screenor the display 610 and the game piece 616 for protecting the screen 610from mechanical damages or the like and is otherwise transparent. Byusing the lens 690 in this way also a negative effect of dirt on thefloor space 622 of the game FIG. 616 may be reduced as then the dirtwould not be located in the object plane but close to the lens plane.

Of course it is noted that the embodiment described with reference toFIGS. 21 to 23 may also be executed so that the above-described patternrecognition is executed within the game pieces, i.e., within theprocessing means 630.

It is finally noted that it is possible to track game pieces or one gamepiece on the display 610 during a movement of the same across thedisplay 610. For this purpose, the game pieces or the object is, forexample, scanned with a sufficiently high frequency. In this way, bothshifts from the central position and also twists maybe detected. In thisway, the game pieces may be tracked while they are moved across the gamefield or the display 610 by the user.

Further, finally FIG. 24 should explicitly show that it is possible thatthe transmission means 624 may be provided not to be connected firmly tothe actual game piece 616 but still to be attached to the same.According to FIG. 24, the transmission means 624 is, for example,arranged in a base 600 into which a game piece 616 may be inserted,screwed or be mounted in another way. FIG. 25 finally shows a top viewof one possible arrangement of a panel 710 which covers a lightsensitive area of the optical sensor, e.g., a photo cell 628, andcomprises an opening 712 which determines the effective light sensitivearea of the optical sensor 628, as only through the same light from thedisplay may impinge on the sensor 628. Apart from this, it is shown asan example that the extent of the latter area 712 may be larger than thepixels which are illustrated at 714 representing all pixels. Of courseit would also be possible that the sensor itself is implemented in theshape 712, wherein in this case a panel maybe omitted. The panelillustrated in FIG. 25 enables the above described exact position andorientation determination, for example by scanning the region around theopening 712 with a characteristic which is only one pixel 714 large,such as a pixel alternating between bright and dark. In this way, thedetermination means may determine all those pixels 714 which overlap thefield 712 by more than a predetermined extent. The response signaltransmitted by the sensor 628 via the transmitter to the determinationmeans is, for example, binary and indicates whether the detectedbrightness value exceeds a predetermined measure corresponding to thepredetermined extent of overlap at a time, like e.g. the current time ofquerying. Of course, the response signal may also indicate thebrightness value in more exact stages.

In the previous description of FIGS. 16 to 25, the existence of themoving means 16 and the control means 18 was indicated onlyschematically. That the embodiments described above with reference toFIGS. 2 to 16 are very suitable for being combined with the embodimentsaccording to FIGS. 16 to 25 is illustrated in the following again withreference to FIGS. 26 a to 26 b which illustrate embodiments regardinghow the display of the position determination means according to theembodiments of FIGS. 16 to 25 may be combined with or arranged relativeto the previous embodiments for the moving means 16.

As already described above, it is possible to manufacture a plate havingindividually controllable nozzle valves according to the embodiments ofFIGS. 2 to 8 in a transparent or translucent way. These embodiments may,thus, according to FIG. 26 a, be combined with those of FIGS. 16 to 25by such an air valve plate 800 being arranged on top of a display 802which may, in turn, include a cover plate 804 and corresponds to thedisplay of the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 25. Between the air valveplate 800 and the display 802 a gap 806 is provided which serves as apressure chamber in which the compressed air is discharged through theactivated air valves in the plate 800 at the transport surface 12. Thetransparency of the plate 800 guarantees that the image generated by thepixels 808 of the display 802 is visible for a viewer through the coverplate 804 which is, of course, also transparent, and through thepressure chamber 806 and though the air valve plate 800 whose sidefacing away from the display 802 forms the transport surface 12. Theabove mentioned optical sensor in the object may, in the exemplary caseof the implementation of the floor of the object according to FIG. 3 or8, detect in one of the recesses, e.g., in the central recess, thelaterally varying information which is indicated by the display 802 and,if applicable, pass on the scan results via the transmitter.

A corresponding cross section of a possible object or a possible gamepiece is illustrated in FIG. 26, wherein the arrangement of the opticalsensor according to FIG. 23 is only an example.

FIG. 26 shows that a combination of the embodiments 2 to 8, 9 to 13 band 16 to 25 is also possible. The display 802 is again separated by apressure chamber or a pressure gap 806 from the air valve plate 800whose front side forms the transport surface 12. On the side of thedisplay 802 facing away from the air valve plate 800, a magnetic coilplate is located which may be implemented according to FIG. 9 a. Objectshovering on air cushions may, thus, be handled by means of the magneticdrive as it is generated by the magnetic coil plate 810, wherein theposition is determined via the position determination means using thedisplay 802.

As already indicated in FIG. 15 a, it is possible to combine theembodiments of FIGS. 16 to 25 with the embodiment of FIGS. 14 to 15 b byarranging the display simply below the bending wave plate. However, itis noted here that it should be possible to also generate bending wavesin a glass plate which, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 6 a and 6b, comprises holes for the air valves, wherein in this case and in thisway the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 8 might also be combined with those ofFIGS. 14 to 15 b, i.e. possibly with a simultaneous combination of theembodiments of FIGS. 16 to 20.

In other words, the above mentioned embodiments enable a game computerto move a passive game piece on a game board in a controlled and “free”way with reference to the position and orientation of the game piece. Itis further possible to specifically exert a force on this figure whereinposition, direction and strength of this moving force are controllablewithin certain limits within the game plan plane. Even rotating the gamepieces on the spot is possible. For this purpose, two force vectors areapplied to the piece which contain opposing components within the gameplan plane and affect different points of the figure, as it was the casein FIGS. 4 b and 6 b and 12 b and 13 b. If n pieces are to be movedsimultaneously, accordingly n times as many force vectors have to becontrolled, which is basically no problem, however.

Possibly, the game pieces have slightly deviating characteristics, e.g.,their friction on the game board, their weight etc. This is not problem,however, as the control means realizes a feedback mechanism whichrespectively considers the current position and orientation of the gamepieces and if needed feeds this back to the game computer.

The above embodiments, thus, fulfill the requirements of game devicesfor which frequently a large amount of force vectors is needed whichhave to be freely controllable regarding their position, direction andstrength. The above embodiments use the fact that the control of thesevariables does not have to be of a randomly fine resolution. Rather,quantization stages are possible which depend on the characteristics ofthe used game pieces, e.g., on their size. For example, if the diameterof the smallest piece used is 10 mm, it will be sufficient to be able tocontrol the position of the force vector for example with a resolutionof one/four of this diameter, i.e., for example 2.5 mm. The exact valuesdepend on the respective implementation.

Also the strength of the force vector acting on the pieces may bedetermined by the control means. From the position determination means aclosed loop results with the controlled variable position or speed ofthe object or the game piece and the regulating variables direction andstrength of the “force vector”. The control means may realize a PIDregulator so that strength of the force vector may be adapted so that amovement as stable as possible is achieved and simultaneously sideeffects to other game pieces are prevented or minimized. For example,the control means may increase the force vector from a minimum valueuntil a movement of the desired game piece occurs and may then maintainthis force vector or even reduce the same due to the cancelled staticfriction. The quantization of the force is, for example, executed byconnecting further air valves in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 8 or evenvia setting the air pressure applied to the air values. The bendingwaves may also be controlled with respect to their strengths. Finally,also the current through the magnetic coils in the embodiments of FIGS.9 a to 15 b may be controlled.

The position determination means may be used to further check thepositions of all figures which are not to be moved and if needed thecontrol means may use suitable additional force vectors to keep thosefigures, which are not to be moved, stable.

In particular, the above embodiments show three different physicalpossibilities to generate the just-mentioned force vectors, i.e., on theone hand by bending waves in a transparent, if applicable thin plate,e.g., a perspex plate which may be lying across the game plan, such as ascreen in case of the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 25. One furtherpossibility was the use of magnetic fields which are generated by acontrollable matrix of electromagnets below the screen serving as thegame plan. Finally, compressed air was also used which escapes viacontrollable valves, for example, in a transparent thin plate above thegame plan specifically at the positions where the game piece ispositioned. Apart from this, further embodiments were described whichmore or less used the above-described physical possibilities.

Depending on the given side conditions, e.g., the type, shape and thesize of the game pieces to be moved, it may be advantageous to use oneor also several of the above mentioned force or power sources, i.e.,bending waves, magnetic fields or compressed air for implementation, asit was indicated above. Thus, for example, by compressed air, frictionbelow a piece or a partial area of the game plan may be specificallyreduced, i.e., by the resulting air cushion effect, to then move thesame through a magnetic field, wherein also FIG. 26 c is directed tothis combination.

The above embodiments may, thus, be used without further arguments inthe field of games, in particular the field of board games. Inparticular, they may be used in computer games which enable a gamecomputer to efficiently and automatically move physical game pieces on agame board, i.e., without the interaction of a person.

As illustrated, the above embodiments are able to be combined with ascreen as a game board, wherein the computer may automatically detectthe position of the game pieces even using the screen, as was describedabove.

The above embodiments also solve the problem frequently connected withgames, i.e., that several game pieces have to be moved simultaneously.Here, the above mentioned embodiments need hardly any or no moveableparts.

With respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 14 to 15 b, it is again notedthat for the plate a thin plate may advantageously be used. As thesurface points of the plate move in an elliptical curve, wherein themovement goes in one direction at the wave peak and in the otherdirection in the wave trough, it is possible through the surface wavepoints on the wave peak on which the object is located which is to betransported, i.e., by the fact that the object, e.g., a game piece,which is mainly in contact with points of the wave peak experiencing africtional force into the direction in which the surface points of thewave peak move.

The control means may now control the wave forms in the plate with asufficient accuracy so that below each game piece to be moved, wavepeaks with a sufficient amplitude and suitable direction “pass”, orbelow the pieces not to be moved, possible wave peaks remainsufficiently small. By this, the control means may specifically movedesired objects or put the same into a desired position. For a rotationof an object or a game piece, the control means may, for example,generate opposed wave trains at opposing edges of the supporting surfaceof the object which generate forces at these opposing edges intoopposing directions or engage thereto. The control means may in thisrespect use the wave field synthesis to generate an almost random wavefield. Such a wave field synthesis is sufficiently known from the fieldof acoustics. Accordingly, as already described above with reference toFIGS. 18 a and 18 b, the transport surface may be surrounded by a largenumber of bending wave generation means, such as piezo elements, whereineach of the same provide a head wave or elementary wave which overlaythe desired wave field according to the Huygens' principle.

It may be advantageous when the bending wave generation means do notexceed a certain minimum distance to each other. This minimum distancemay depend on the frequency with which the bending wave generation meansgenerate the bending waves. The control means 18 may, thus, use the factthat the wave field synthesis principle also works in solid bodies andthe ultrasonic range. The bending waves may, for example, comprise wavelengths smaller than the dimensions of the game pieces or the object tobe transported. For example, sound sources like the above mentionedpiezo elements generate a suitable wave field with wave trains of asufficiently high frequency in the thin plate, wherein the sound sourcesare arranged, for example, along the edge of the plate in a suitablysmall distance to each other. As explained above, here the plate mayadvantageously be terminated with an acoustic characteristic impedanceto limit undesired reflections at the edge. Depending on theapplication, also less bending wave generation means with a largerdistance to each other may be sufficient. In other words, depending onthe application, a wave field may also be sufficient which was generatedwith a reduced number of elementary waves or less bending wavegeneration means.

FIG. 26 c also showed that it is possible, below a display or a thinflat panel display as a game plan, to provide a matrix of individuallycontrollable small coils whose alignment is vertical to the game plan.In this way, by a suitable control of these magnetic coils, acontrollable magnetic field may be generated in the plane of the gameplan. The latter may be used “quasi-statically” or, according to theprinciples of the linear motor, also for moving the game pieces, whereinthe latter was an embodiment for this in FIG. 10 c. The game piece ofFIG. 26 b may, for example, be used in this respect if it comprises amagnetically attracting or repelling element according to one of FIGS.10 a to 10 c.

With the quasi-statical solution in the game pieces, for example, smallpermanent magnets are located and the magnetic coils below the gameboard are simply used to exert tensile or shear forces onto thesepermanent magnets. By this, the desired force vectors result and with asufficiently fine raster of the magnetic coils and a suitable control ofthe coils, in connection with the above-described feedback by theposition determination means, the desired movement of the pieces may beachieved. If even two or more permanent magnets are accommodated in thegame piece, then as was illustrated above with reference to FIGS. 12 ato 13 b, one may be provided in one side and one in the opposing side ofthe game floor whereby the piece may easily be rotated or turned when onboth sides magnetic fields pull or push in the corresponding direction.With a suitable setup of the game piece, the shear effects may also beused, for example to reduce the weight of the piece weighing on thesupport or base and to, thus facilitate shifting or pulling the piece bya magnet attached below the center of gravity of the piece.

With the linear motor solution according to FIG. 10 c, small magneticcoils are located in the game pieces which serve as “rotor coils”,wherein current may be induced by magnetic field changes. The magneticcoils below the game board are the field coils or excitation coils whichgenerate the moved magnetic field exerting the forces on the rotorcoils. With a suitable implementation of the excitation coils, e.g., asuitable distance to the rotor windings and “resolution” of theexcitation coil matrix, the forces on the individual rotor coils may bedirectly decoupled from each other sufficiently to execute the desiredindividual movements of the game pieces. Another implementationpossibility is to make the rotor coils 110 in the game pieces“switchable” and, thus, make the rotor coils individually activable, by,for example, a switch or a controllable resistance being connected intothe branch in parallel to the actual coil 110. The moving magnetic fieldmay then be more spacious which possibly facilitates the setup of theexcitation matrix or the magnetic field coil matrix. By the selection ofthe desired rotor coils, desired pieces may be moved and rotated.

The game pieces or the object to be moved may possibly be instructedindividually from the outside, e.g., by the control means, to open orclose the corresponding switching elements or rotor coils.

The above embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 8 were directed to a principleaccording to which an object “hovers” on an air cushion. The air for theair cushion comes from many fine holes or air nozzles of a base plate,for example. As described above, it may be implemented as a transparentplate which is arranged above a game board, e.g., a display. On theplate, thus, the desired object, e.g., a game piece may hover. The aircushion below the game piece cancels the friction between the piece andthe ground or floor plate, so that it may easily be moved in onedirection.

As described above, it is possible to combine the air cushion effect forfriction reduction in connection with the other physical possibilitiesof movement or described forces for movement. However, it is alsopossible to generate the forces of movement with the help of air nozzlesin the ground plate if the same may be individually opened and closedand the bottom sides of the game pieces are suitably shaped as describedabove with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8.

It is to be noted with respect to the transparent plate which wasmentioned several times above, having individually controllable airvalves, that the same may be a thin electrically non-conducting plasticsplate. For manufacturing the individually controllable air valves, forexample with a laser, very fine short slots are cut into thenon-conducting plastics plate which may serve as valves. Viaelectrostatic forces, these slots may be held open or pulled closed. Inthis respect the slots as described above may be coated with atransparent conductive material and at a later time may be provided witha non-conductive transparent cover layer. The sides of the slots, thus,virtually form a “plate capacitor”. In further steps, on the top andbottom side of the ground plate of a suitable transparent material, amatrix of conductive traces and transistors may be applied so that eachof the sides of the slots may be individually addressed and charged.

If the sides of the slots are now provided with charge of the samepolarity, they repel and keep the air valve open, whereas when they areprovided with charge of a different polarity, they attract and keep thevalve closed, as it was described above. If applicable, it isadvantageous when the plate in this respect comprises a sufficientflexibility.

According to an alternative embodiment, two foils lying above each otherare used to form electrostatic valves.

The ground plate of the game pieces may be implemented so that by meansof the controllable air valves suitable forces of movement may beexerted on the figures which shift the same laterally. One possibledesign is, as described above, that the ground plate of the piece isdivided into separate areas which are separated from each other by smalledges. Via the air valves, the elements may be provided with airseparately. In the center of the figure, an element may be attachedwhose the border is closed and which forms a carrying air cushion.Around those elements, further elements may be arranged whose the borderis not completely closed. At the opening of the border, a “thrustnozzle” results which, depending on the shape, may generate a thrustalong or transverse to the piece if the element is provided with air. Inthis respect, reference is again made to the description of FIGS. 3, 4 aand 4 b. For moving the piece, the central element may be provided withair to activate the carrying air cushion and, thus, achieve a reductionof friction and one or several further elements may be provided withair, whereby a desired force of movement in a certain direction or acertain rotational movement is generated.

Due to the above embodiments, it is, thus, not necessary to use a robotgrip arm to move objects on a surface. Active movement elements at thegame pieces are not necessary. The force vectors are rather generatedwithout moving parts, except in the above embodiments for electrostaticair valves or piezo elements for the bending wave generation. Severalpieces may be simultaneously rotated or moved by the above embodiments.The force vector generation may exclusively take place “from thebottom”. The space above the game plan or above the transport surfacemay, thus, be kept clear. In particular, the above embodiments enable a“touchable” game board interface for a game computer. The computer maydetect the moves of a person and it may execute its moves or moves ofpersons in other places directly with the physical game pieces. A gamearrangement is suitable for “any” games using a game plan and gamepieces.

It is to be noted with respect to the above-mentioned individuallycontrollable air valves, that the used material, e.g., silicon,advantageously should have a sufficient flexibility to efficiently openand close the air gap. As mentioned above, as an exerting force anelectrostatic force may be used due to electric fields. Thus, theresulting capacitor plates may be formed transparently. Depending on theapplication, it may be sufficient to make only one electrode or oneplate of the capacitor plates of each individually controllable valvecontrollable if, for example, as another plate of the capacitor platesor as another electrode a zone with a permanent charge in the area or onthe one side of the slot of the individually controllable air valve isintroduced. As already mentioned above, the silicon air valves may beseated in a stable carrier plate, for example made of glass, which hasholes of the size of the valves. The refractive index of the siliconvalves and the glass may be selected so that it is identical, e.g.,1.43. It may, thus, be guaranteed that there are no points ofdiscontinuity at the transitions of the glass plate to the siliconvalves so that transparency is not interfered with.

With respect to the embodiment according to FIGS. 14 to 15 b, it isnoted that for a movement effect, the generation of a standing wave mayalso be used. The control means may control the moving means 16 so thatwith a suitable shape of the bottom side of the object or the game pieceto be moved, the object or the game piece is positioned in the “troughs”of the standing wave. If the standing wave is then slowly moved, e.g.,by a slow adjustment of the phase of one of the generating wave trains,the game piece would be drawn along by the wave peaks. If at the gamepiece separate zones with corresponding shapes are located, the piecemay also be rotated by two different standing waves.

Depending on the circumstances, the above-described methods may beimplemented in hardware or in software, e.g. methods for thelocalization and identification of objects on a display or methods formoving objects on a surface. The implementation may be on a digitalstorage medium, in particular a floppy disc, a CD or DVD havingelectronically readable control signals which may cooperate with aprogrammable computer system so that the respective method is executed.In general, the invention thus also consists in a software programproduct or a computer product or a program product having a program codestored on a machine readable carrier for executing the inventive methodwhen the software program product is executed on a computer or on aprocessor. In other words, the invention may thus be realized as acomputer program or software program or program having a program codefor executing the method when the program is executed on a processor.The processor may here be formed by a computer, a chip card, a gamecomputer or another integrated circuitry.

While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments,there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall withinthe scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are manyalternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of thepresent invention. It is therefore intended that the following appendedclaims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutationsand equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

1. An object for a controllable transport on an air cushion, comprising: a level bottom; and a plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and in the side wall an opening is formed through which air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess.
 2. The object according to claim 1, comprising a controllable unit for a selective closing and opening of the opening.
 3. The object according to claim 2, wherein the controllable unit for a selective closing and opening is externally wirelessly controllable.
 4. The object according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of predetermined recesses is adjacent to the side wall of the object and in the side wall a plurality of openings are formed through which air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the plurality of predetermined recesses, i.e. in different directions, so that the object is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the level bottom and/or translationally movable laterally by means of air escaping through one or several of the plurality of openings.
 5. The object according to claim 1, implemented as a game piece for a board game.
 6. The object according to claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor accommodated in or at the object for optically scanning a supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported, and wirelessly transmitting a resulting scan result to the outside.
 7. The object according to claim 6 which is further implemented to wirelessly identify towards the outside.
 8. A system for transporting an object on an air cushion, comprising: a plurality of nozzles in a level surface which are controllable separately from each other in order to let compressed air stream out which forms an air cushion between the object and the level surface; a determiner for determining a position of the object on the level surface; and a controller for controlling the nozzles depending on the determined position.
 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the object comprises a level bottom and a plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and an opening is formed in the side wall through which air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess and wherein the controller for controlling the nozzles is implemented to control the nozzles also depending on a deviation between the determined position of the object to a desired position of the object so that the object approaches a desired position on the level surface.
 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein an average smallest distance between the plurality of nozzles is smaller than a lateral extension of the at least one recess.
 11. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a controllable unit for exerting a laterally directed force onto the object to approximate the object to its desired position.
 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controllable unit is implemented so that the laterally directed force is a magnetically attracting or repelling force.
 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the controllable unit comprises a member with a lateral distribution of magnetic coils and the determiner for determining a position of the object on the level surface comprises a flat screen which is arranged between the member and the level surface, wherein the magnetic coils are controllable separately from each other in order to generate magnetic dipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface.
 14. A system according to claim 8, wherein each nozzle comprises a slot formed in a deformable material, wherein on both sides of the slot electrodes are arranged which may be set into a different polarity in order to open the slot.
 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the electrodes are electrically insulated from each other with a closed slot and also an open slot.
 16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the deformable material of the nozzles is arranged in holes of a carrier plate.
 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein both the carrier plate and also the deformable material are transparent for light and a refractive index ratio of the same is between 0.8 and 1.25.
 18. The system according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of nozzles is formed in the level surface of a nozzle plate and the determiner for determining a position of the object on the level surface further comprises: a display, wherein the nozzle plate is transparent and arranged in the direction of view in front of the display, wherein the display is visible for a viewer through the nozzle plate; a controller for controlling the display such that the same indicates laterally varying information; an optical sensor accommodated in or at the object for optically scanning a supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported in order to acquire a scan result with respect to the laterally varying information; and a determiner for determining the position of the object depending on the scan result.
 19. A system, comprising: a plurality of nozzles in a level surface through which compressed air may be guided; an object for a controllable transport on an air cushion generated by the compressed air, comprising a level bottom; a plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least one predetermined one of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and in the side wall an opening is formed through which air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess; and a controllable unit for selectively closing and opening the opening; and a determiner for determining a position of the object on the level surface; and a controller for controlling the controllable unit for selectively closing and opening the opening in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the level surface.
 20. A system for moving an object which may be magnetically attracted or repelled across a surface, comprising a plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface controllable separately from each other in order to generate magnetic dipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface; a determiner for determining a position of the object on the surface; a controller for controlling the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the surface.
 21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the object is formed from a magnetically permeable material and the object comprises two elements which may be magnetically attracted or repelled offset laterally to a supporting surface of the object.
 22. The system according to claim 20, further comprising a nozzle plate forming the surface and comprising a plurality of nozzles in the surface through which compressed air may be guided to form an air cushion between the object and the surface.
 23. The device according to claim 20, wherein the determiner for determining a position of the object on the surface further comprises: a display, wherein in the direction of view the surface is arranged in front of the display and the display is arranged between the surface and the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface, wherein the display is visible for a viewer through the surface. a controller for controlling the display such that the same indicates laterally varying information; an optical sensor accommodated in or at the object for optically scanning a supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported in order to acquire a scan result with respect to the laterally varying information; and a determiner for determining the position of the object depending on the scan result.
 24. A method for transporting an object on an air cushion by means of a plurality of nozzles in a level surface which may be controlled separately from each other in order to let compressed air stream out forming an air cushion between the object and the level surface, the method comprising: determining a position of the object on the level surface; and controlling the nozzles depending on the determined position.
 25. A method for transporting an object by means of an air cushion generated by the compressed air and a plurality of nozzles in a level surface through which compressed air may be guided, wherein the object comprises a level bottom and a plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and an opening is formed in the side wall through which the air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess, the method comprising: determining a position of the object on the level surface; and selectively closing and opening the opening depending on the determined position in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the level surface.
 26. A method for moving an object which may be magnetically attracted or repelled across a surface by means of a plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface which may be controlled separately from each other in order to generate magnetic dipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface, the method comprising: determining a position of the object on the surface; and controlling the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the surface.
 27. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program comprising a program code for executing the method according to claim 24 when the computer program is executed on a computer.
 28. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program comprising a program code for executing the method according to claim 25 when the computer program is executed on a computer.
 29. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program comprising a program code for executing the method according to claim 26 when the computer program is executed on a computer. 